Over the last eight months we, as a community, have transitioned to working largely remotely and relying on email, TEAMS and calls to communicate.
Whilst we have made this transition successfully it is also important to remember that many of our soft communications techniques have been lost. Chats in the kitchen, overhearing office chatter that informs you of another team’s workload, or even the simple office banter to relieve stress are all much harder to achieve now, and so it is more important than ever to understand online communication and how this can impact an individual’s wellbeing, as well as what behaviour is unacceptable.
Communicating via email or instant messaging means that we lack the visual cues from body language, and we cannot use tone of voice to help us get our message across in the intended way. This may mean that we experience miscommunications which could be perceived as bullying. It can be helpful for us to review our own behaviours – read this SUSSED post for more information. Miscommunication can escalate quickly and cause parties to becoming increasingly frustrated and upset, fracturing working relationships.
You can step outside of this loop by considering some of the below points when contacting someone.
- Different individuals may find the situation more difficult than others: they may have increased caring responsibilities; financial, health or other concerns; or are isolated without family and friends nearby.
- Different learning styles may mean it is more difficult for some to glean information from emails, and they may prefer calls or video calls.
- Be aware some teams and individuals may feel overloaded and increased stress is counter-productive.
- Be understanding of conflicting deadlines and priorities – it is more effective to understand one another’s project timelines and plan accordingly.
- Take an extra moment to ensure what you are sending is collegial and useful – you may be feeling frustrated, but consider if your tone will encourage or discourage your colleagues
- Many people are sharing their space with others trying to work or study from home, and may not have much personal space – asking people how they are managing and how you can schedule meetings to fit their circumstance will reduce stress and interruptions.
It is also important to remember that online bullying can be harder to identify, just as we hear less office chatter, we may to see less of the behaviours people are displaying, or how this affect colleagues. Some examples of online bullying might be:
- Verbal harassment such as insulting or offensive language, shouting, or demeaning remarks.
- Harassment via email or messages – sending more emails than the employee can handle, and not treating other colleagues in the same way.
- Unreasonable criticism, or setting unreasonable deadlines.
- Excluding someone from activities that relate to their work, for example excluding someone from team meetings or training, or regularly scheduling meetings outside of someone’s working hours.
- Repeatedly speaking over someone in a video call or ignoring their input.
If you are concerned for yourself or a colleague, there is information and support available to help you and confidential advice on what to do next through our Harassment Contacts and your Trade Unions.
As a University, we adhere to a set of values and behaviours that emphasises collegiality and personal leadership, and we expect all of our colleagues to uphold this level of respect for one another.
